Airstream
The
pursed mouth of air exhales,
annunciates
in her cold speech;
the
curtains blow like falling leaves;
why
don't they tangle and knot
embracing a last grasp warmth;
why
don’t they hold firm
instead
of being wayward
wavering wind toys
gauze-incandescent thoughts,
open at
the center, blasted by
downdrafted
midnight?
Time shakes
and throws
its skittering moment years,
dice
across the table, rats rolling in a maze-race
tumbling
for the cracks, running cinemascopically.
Blurred dancers preen remotely
off the glass
turning
their perfect ankles heliotropically,
all the
ribbons fluttering
in the blowback
of a broken screen.
~November
2012
Image: A Visitor, by bigcity al on flick'r
Shared under a creative commons license
Uh huh, caught in the tumblin dice
ReplyDeleteI love the contrast of breeze blown curtains and raining bricks.
Pretty sure it's the first time i've seen heliotropically in a poem.
Leave it to you to make it work
Should be the first, since I think I made it up. Thanks, rick.
Delete*shivers and shivers* 'gauze-incandescent thoughts,
ReplyDeleteopen at the center, blasted by
downdrafted midnight' - i love this so much; listening to Chopin nocturnes and your lines accompany it perfectly. somber yet floating --- and the haunting image captivates.
Thanks, yelena. Appreciate the visit and the Chopin touch.
Deletenice...really like your imagery in this...the view of the drapes is solid...my fav bit comes in the middle...the dice...
ReplyDeleteTime shakes and throws
its skittering moment years,
dice across the table, rats rolling in a maze-race
tumbling for the cracks, running cinemascopically...that is chock full of goodness...and grit a bit as well...the cracks....
Hi Joy - one of the things I like about this poem is that I first associate Airstream with the silver trailer. (I'm of that generation, I guess.) But that's kind of cool because there is an element of being in a capsule that's being rustled/invaded, and time itself a bit like a shaken capsule, and all the efforts to keep that little capsule safe, are well, not going to work. The place my mind sticks is the skittering moment years which describe a lot of my years - a wonderful description - and the blowback of the broken screen - agh.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like you've made some form work here - at least various slant rhymes and true ones too, but it's pretty subtle. k.
Actually, I don't think I'm really of the Airstream generation! But I've been around them. k.
DeleteThey are cool--always wanted one, and I like your idea of capsules in a poem about time--we make them, but we can't keep them, indeed. Thanks, k.
Deleteyeah and i love the choice to use "blowback" here. heavy and light, somehow.
ReplyDeleteHeliotropes are great. So beautiful they deserve to be perennials. I always like to see shades of purple and blue in the landscape. Deep,receding,cool. A touch of mystery. To the spirit of wild hearts and the trunkfulls of memories to come. Two very sweet, uplifting videos. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThat Stevie video I found purely accidentally--I just liked the feel of it, the reality, and man--what a celestial voice to come out of such a very human package--not all glamorized for the stage, just herself. Glad you enjoyed, Scott. I too am fond of blue and purple in the garden.I'm looking forward to some very deep blue hyacinths and dutch iris I recently planted.
DeleteAbsolutely beautiful and poignant writing.
ReplyDeleteI love "cold speech" and "wavering wind toys". Who knew all that was on the breeze?
ReplyDeleteThis has the most gorgeous dance of soft / hard sounds, stressed and unstressed. I lack the technical knowledge to really name what I'm hearing, but it's absolutely spectacular.
ReplyDeleteyou had me at
ReplyDelete" The pursed mouth of air exhales,
annunciates in her cold speech"
a brilliant piece throughout!
♥